Life
The New Year is well under way; no snowdrops yet but the hazel catkins are beginning to swell and today I saw some of the reddish female flowers on hazel trees in Hampton wood, my local nature reserve. Spring is still some way off but at least it's on the horizon.
I'm just getting round to reading the biggest of my Christmas books: Britannia's Daughters: The Life and Times of Diplomatic Wives by Katie Hickman, daughter of one of those ambassador's wives. The book is beautifully illustrated and enjoyable to read although my hair stands on end when reading about the trials and tribulations some of these women had just travelling to their destination, let alone dealing with what awaited them once they arrived. It reminds me to read again Passenger to Teheran by Vita Sackville-West when she accompanied her husband, Nigel Nicholson, to Teheran in the 1920's.
Writing
I re-read Mystery in Morocco prior to starting work on it again (one of this year's goals - others can be seen on my writing blog). It's been about a year since I looked at the novel. Leaving it that long meant I saw lots of things which could be changed - for the better.
Have started Lesson 20 for HTRYN on my short story set in Scotland. The lesson after this one is the last in the course - the type in. And then I'll be looking for readers!
Showing posts with label Reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reading. Show all posts
Sunday, 8 January 2012
Sunday, 16 October 2011
Sunday Summary
Life
I went to an 80th birthday party this week and enjoyed immensely the canapes, champagne and cakes in a wonderful setting.
Mostly this week was overshadowed by Mr Prue's health. We found out that he has a latent TB infection. While this isn't causing him problems now, it could do later in life, so he's decided to have treatment to kill it off; a large dose of an antibiotic for 6 months. Fingers crossed he gets none of the possible side-effects from this aggressive drug.
We celebrated (yeah, weird I know but the results from the tests could have been much worse) by going to the Motorhome and Caravan show at the NEC. Caravaners, motorhomers and campers seem to be a friendly bunch and we had a fun day.
Now all we need is to have a modest win on the lottery! :D
Writing
I wrote a poem this week based on a vivid dream. Last Sunday morning I went back to sleep. On waking the dream seemed an hour long but had only lasted five minutes. This discrepancy gave me a strange feeling of dislocation - it was as if I'd been in a timewarp.
I wrote the poem that night and worked on it so it represented my dream and that dislocation.
And then I sent it in to the National Poetry Competition!
Short story revision going well and I'm about to do my 'laundry list'. Can't wait to start cutting and rewriting and getting the story to be more like it is in my head.
Reading
Just finished 'Birdsong' by Sebastian Faulks. It is beautifully written and yet harrowing in places as much of it's set on the battlefields of the First World War.
On the basis of this book, am now reading 'Charlotte Gray'. Set in the Second World War this is another of the French Trilogy (Lion d'Or, Birdsong, Charlotte Gray).
Next week
A cold snap is coming - must look out warm clothes!
Make list for cutting short story.
Evening class starts: Ancient Egyptian history. This will provide background (and hopefully inspiration) for the book after Mystery in Morocco.
Have a good week, all :)
I went to an 80th birthday party this week and enjoyed immensely the canapes, champagne and cakes in a wonderful setting.
Mostly this week was overshadowed by Mr Prue's health. We found out that he has a latent TB infection. While this isn't causing him problems now, it could do later in life, so he's decided to have treatment to kill it off; a large dose of an antibiotic for 6 months. Fingers crossed he gets none of the possible side-effects from this aggressive drug.
We celebrated (yeah, weird I know but the results from the tests could have been much worse) by going to the Motorhome and Caravan show at the NEC. Caravaners, motorhomers and campers seem to be a friendly bunch and we had a fun day.
Now all we need is to have a modest win on the lottery! :D
Writing
I wrote a poem this week based on a vivid dream. Last Sunday morning I went back to sleep. On waking the dream seemed an hour long but had only lasted five minutes. This discrepancy gave me a strange feeling of dislocation - it was as if I'd been in a timewarp.
I wrote the poem that night and worked on it so it represented my dream and that dislocation.
And then I sent it in to the National Poetry Competition!
Short story revision going well and I'm about to do my 'laundry list'. Can't wait to start cutting and rewriting and getting the story to be more like it is in my head.
Reading
Just finished 'Birdsong' by Sebastian Faulks. It is beautifully written and yet harrowing in places as much of it's set on the battlefields of the First World War.
On the basis of this book, am now reading 'Charlotte Gray'. Set in the Second World War this is another of the French Trilogy (Lion d'Or, Birdsong, Charlotte Gray).
Next week
A cold snap is coming - must look out warm clothes!
Make list for cutting short story.
Evening class starts: Ancient Egyptian history. This will provide background (and hopefully inspiration) for the book after Mystery in Morocco.
Have a good week, all :)
Monday, 7 March 2011
Monday Musings
Owing to a walking-cum-geology trip yesterday, Sunday Summary has become Monday Musings.
Life
Owing to sunshine and life speeding up things have been hectic.
Convinced that Saturday was 12th March I dragged us off to a geology day we were helping with at the local museum - only to find that it was next week *blushes*
It's been like that recently. Perhaps I need a holiday.
Writing
Owing to life being as it is, my carefully prepared writing timetable has gone out the window recently. As always, if time is short I find it easier to drop into learning mode. So even though Mystery in Morocco has gone on the backburner, I've turned my attention to How to Write a Series.
Reading
When circumstances throw me into the fast lane of life, things can get stressful. Under these conditions, some people comfort eat. My appetite fades away, so I 'comfort read' instead.
Comfort reading books have to have the following qualities:
They are easy to read
Nothing very terrible happens in them
High feel-good factor
Preferably a happy ever after end
Often have an element of gentle humour
Some of my comfort reads are:
My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge
Thornyhold by Mary Stewart
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
The Hills is Lonely by Lillian Beckwith (or anything by her)
The Brother Cadfael books by Ellis Peters
I was wondering if anyone else 'comfort read'? And if so, what helps you to unwind/escape/tune off from hectic modern life?
Life
Owing to sunshine and life speeding up things have been hectic.
Convinced that Saturday was 12th March I dragged us off to a geology day we were helping with at the local museum - only to find that it was next week *blushes*
It's been like that recently. Perhaps I need a holiday.
Writing
Owing to life being as it is, my carefully prepared writing timetable has gone out the window recently. As always, if time is short I find it easier to drop into learning mode. So even though Mystery in Morocco has gone on the backburner, I've turned my attention to How to Write a Series.
Reading
When circumstances throw me into the fast lane of life, things can get stressful. Under these conditions, some people comfort eat. My appetite fades away, so I 'comfort read' instead.
Comfort reading books have to have the following qualities:
They are easy to read
Nothing very terrible happens in them
High feel-good factor
Preferably a happy ever after end
Often have an element of gentle humour
Some of my comfort reads are:
My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge
Thornyhold by Mary Stewart
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
The Hills is Lonely by Lillian Beckwith (or anything by her)
The Brother Cadfael books by Ellis Peters
I was wondering if anyone else 'comfort read'? And if so, what helps you to unwind/escape/tune off from hectic modern life?
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Unenthused
I'm unenthused about most things at the moment. Life has taken a nose-dive. There have been many small losses of different sorts recently and they all seem to add up. Add to that a wonky knee and the inability to go for vigorous long walks regularly and here I am, in the doldrums. I've got the blues and they're a deep blue shot through with streaks of deep red. Not a pleasant combination.
What really gets to me is the way some (many?) people treat each other; as if people are of no value and to treat them inconsiderately and like shit is ok. I've witnessed many instances of that in the past few weeks and I wonder if it's becoming more common.
One good bit of news today though, amongst all the dross; a friend whose job was about to disappear has got her contract renewed for another year. Yay!
I need a pick-me-up. The only thing I enjoy doing at the moment is critting someone's writing. That perks me up no end. It's an exciting process and one which I'd like to do better on my own work!
What perks you up when you're down in the dumps?
HTTS: Is languishing.
Reading:
I'm gently going through Alexandre Dumas The Three Musketeers for the nth time. It's a delightful book. I notice my reading is influenced by memories of The Four Musketeers with Michael York as D'Artagnan, Oliver Reed as Porthos, Richard Chamberlain (?) as... and here my memory peters out. Must go and Google.
What really gets to me is the way some (many?) people treat each other; as if people are of no value and to treat them inconsiderately and like shit is ok. I've witnessed many instances of that in the past few weeks and I wonder if it's becoming more common.
One good bit of news today though, amongst all the dross; a friend whose job was about to disappear has got her contract renewed for another year. Yay!
I need a pick-me-up. The only thing I enjoy doing at the moment is critting someone's writing. That perks me up no end. It's an exciting process and one which I'd like to do better on my own work!
What perks you up when you're down in the dumps?
HTTS: Is languishing.
Reading:
I'm gently going through Alexandre Dumas The Three Musketeers for the nth time. It's a delightful book. I notice my reading is influenced by memories of The Four Musketeers with Michael York as D'Artagnan, Oliver Reed as Porthos, Richard Chamberlain (?) as... and here my memory peters out. Must go and Google.
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